Body exudates management devices such as fecal management devices that are designed to be worn principally by incontinence persons and infants are known. Such fecal management devices are attached to the perianal region of the wearer and are intended to entrap and immediately contain fecal material and other bodily discharges. As a consequence, these devices are functionally effective in eliminating the problem of smearing on the skin of the wearer; in lessening epidermal irritation; in preventing contamination of articles such as clothing and bedding; and even in preventing the soiling of the carers themselves. Nevertheless, a problem often encountered during the use of such fecal management devices is that some of the fecal material can flow towards the sensitive genitalia area of the wearer in particular for female wearers into the vestibule of the wearer. Typically, the presence of such fecal material can lead to a nasty infections in this area. Such a condition is most undesirable, painful and distressing to the bedridden wearer or to the infant.
Many attempts have been made to prevent fecal material from leaking out of the fecal management device. One attempt for improvement is to provide a means to closely contact the fecal management device to the wearer's skin. Such a fecal management device has a bag to contain fecal material therein. The bag has an opening to receive fecal material therethrough. The bag also has an adhesive attachment means at the periphery of the opening such that the opening of the bag is secured to the perianal area of the wearer to achieve improved fit between the wearer's skin and the fecal management device.
Another improvement for leakage prevention of fecal material is disclosed in, e.g., PCT Publication No. WO 99/00084 published on Jan. 7, 1999. WO 99/00084 discloses a fecal management device comprising a bag having an aperture and an anatomically-shaped flange which surrounds the aperture. The flange provides for adhesive attachment to the perianal area of the wearer. In particular, the front portion of the flange comprises a projection which provides an effective seal between the flange and the skin of the wearer and prevent leakage to the genitalia area. The device fits snugly into the folds at the margin of the genitalia area of the wearer and thereby improves sealing. PCT Publication No. WO 00/00128 published on Jun. 6, 2000 discloses a fecal management device having a bag and a flange. The flange comprises a projection in the rear portion of the flange to provide an effective seal between the flange and skin of the wearer at the rear. PCT Publication No. WO 99/00087 published on Jan. 7, 1999 discloses a fecal management device having a bag and a flange. The flange comprises a projection in the front portion and the rear portion of the flange, respectively which provides an effective seal between the flange and skin of the wearer at the front and rear.
These attempts are effective in forming improved fit between a fecal management device and the skin of the wearer to prevent leakage of fecal material through a gap between the device and the skin toward the genitalia area of the wearer. However, fecal material contained in the bag could explosively leak from the bag by, e.g., body pressure to compress the bag and the fecal material contained in the bag. If this happens, the genitalia area of the wearer is contaminated by the fecal material leaked from the bag. Thus, it is desirable to provide a device to cover the genitalia area of the wearer to protect the genitalia area from body discharges such as fecal material.